Methods and systems for disabling one or more text messaging features while driving

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems are provided for disabling text messaging while driving. In one embodiment, a mobile station makes a first determination that it is moving at greater than a threshold rate. The mobile station makes a second determination that, while it is moving at greater than the threshold rate, an outgoing text message reflects more than a threshold degradation in typing proficiency. In response to making the first and second determinations, the mobile station disables one or more text-messaging features.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/263,964,filed Nov. 3, 2008, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated byreference.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to wireless communications, and, moreparticularly, to features and services, such as text messaging, ofmobile stations.

2. Description of Related Art

Many people use mobile stations, such as cell phones and personaldigital assistants, to communicate with cellular wireless networks,which typically provide communication services such as voice, textmessaging, and packet-data communication. These mobile stations andnetworks typically communicate with each other over a radio frequency(RF) air interface according to a wireless protocol. Mobile stationstypically conduct wireless communications with one or more basetransceiver stations (BTSs), each arranged to send communications to andreceive communications from mobile stations over the RF air interface.

Each BTS (sometimes referred to as a Node-B) is in turn communicativelyconnected with a network entity known as a base station controller (BSC)(sometimes referred to as a radio network controller (RNC)), whichcontrols one or more BTSs and acts as a conduit between the one or moreBTSs and one or more switches or gateways, such as a mobile switchingcenter (MSC) and/or a packet data serving node (PDSN). The one or moreswitches or gateways may then interface with one or more signalingand/or transport networks. For example, an MSC may interface with thewell-known public switched telephone network (PSTN). As another example,a PDSN may interface with one or more core packet data networks and/orthe global Internet. As such, mobile stations can typically communicateover the one or more signaling and/or transport networks from anywhereinside the coverage area of one or more BTSs, via the BTS(s), a BSC, anda switch or gateway such as an MSC and/or a PDSN.

SUMMARY

Methods and systems are provided for disabling text messaging whiledriving. In one aspect, an embodiment may take the form of a method. Inaccordance with the method, a mobile station makes a first determinationthat it is moving at greater than a threshold rate. The mobile stationmakes a second determination that, while it is moving at greater thanthe threshold rate, an outgoing text message reflects more than athreshold degradation in typing proficiency. In response to making thefirst and second determinations, the mobile station disables one or moretext-messaging features.

These as well as other aspects and advantages will become apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art by reading the following detaileddescription, with reference where appropriate to the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various exemplary embodiments are described herein with reference to thefollowing drawings, wherein like numerals denote like entities.

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a communication system, inaccordance with exemplary embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of a method, in accordance with exemplaryembodiments; and

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method, in accordance with exemplaryembodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 1. Overview

As mentioned above, most currently-available mobile stations providetheir users with the ability to send and receive text messages, whichtypically are SMS (Short Message Service) messages. To send a textmessage, a user of a mobile station typically uses a touchscreen,keypad, keyboard, stylus, and/or any other input mechanism(s) to launcha text-messaging application, select one or more recipients of themessage, enter the substance (i.e. body) of the message, and then invokea Send command. At that point, the mobile station responsively sends theentered message to the one or more recipients via one or more networkentities, such as but not limited to a Short Message Service Center(SMSC). When a mobile station receives a text message, the mobilestation typically alerts its user with some sort of audible, visible,and/or tactile (e.g. vibrating) alert, at which point the user candisplay and read the message.

Text messaging has become extremely popular, and becomes more so everyday. Users of mobile stations send and receive texts at all times of theday, and while doing all sorts of activities. As examples, users sendand receive text messages in school, at work, on the train, on the bus,etc. Users even send text messages while driving, which can often createdangerous situations on the road for those users, their passengers,passengers of other vehicles, pedestrians, etc. It is simply often notpossible for users to dedicate sufficient focus to operating a vehiclewhile also devoting enough focus to successfully compose and send textmessages. And as the use of text messaging continues to become more andmore popular, the danger to society of users engaging in text-messagingactivities while driving increases commensurately. As such, a number ofstate and local governments have outlawed the practice.

In accordance with the presently-described methods and systems, a mobilestation detects conditions that indicate that its user is—or likelyis—operating a vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.), andresponsively disables the mobile station's ability to send textmessages. In some embodiments, the mobile station also disables theability to receive text messages; in other embodiments, the mobilestation disables the visible presentation of received text messages. Themobile station detects that its user is or likely is driving in part bydetecting that the user is composing messages (e.g. typing) with aproficiency that is below that user's normal proficiency, which themobile station may accordingly track as a general matter. Thisproficiency determination may include considerations such as frequencyof misspellings, frequency of using a backspace function, frequency ofcorrecting/changing a word/letter, and so on.

Thus, a mobile station includes and executes an application or othersoftware or hardware that records data reflecting its user's default(i.e. normal, i.e. non-driving) level of text-message-typingproficiency. Note that “typing” as used herein includes use of akeyboard, any other input mechanism mentioned herein, and/or any otherinput mechanism now known or later developed for inputting a textmessage into a mobile station. The mobile station may track metrics suchas the user's average typing speed, frequently-used words, frequency ofbackspacing, etc.

The mobile station also monitors its motion, which it may do accordingto a number of handoffs in a certain time period, by use of GPS or otherlocation technology, with one or more internal or external motionsensors such as accelerometers, by using any other motion-detectingtechnology described herein, and/or by using any other technology nowknown or later developed for detecting a degree of motion of a mobilestation, including technologies performed by the mobile station withoutassistance, technologies that involve one or more network or otherentities, and/or any other suitable means or technologies.

In accordance with an embodiment, if the mobile station detects boththat (a) it is moving at more than a threshold rate and (b) its user istyping a text message with less than a threshold degree of proficiency,the mobile station responsively disables at least itstext-message-sending function. Note that this may involve disabling itsability to receive text-message input from its user, disabling itsability to send entered messages, and/or disabling any otherfunctionality necessary for enabling the composition and transmission oftext messages.

The mobile station detecting that its user is entering (or has entered)a text message with less than a threshold degree of typingproficiency—or with more than a threshold degradation in typingproficiency—may include detecting more than a threshold decrease intyping speed with respect to the user's default typing speed, more thana threshold increase with respect to misspelling words (e.g. in number,percentage of overall message, and/or frequency, etc.), more than athreshold increase in backspacing and/or correcting (e.g. number,frequency, etc.), and/or one or more other negative changes in typingproficiency with respect to the user's default. In other embodiments, adefault based on the user's historical proficiency may not be utilized;in one such example, there may simply be a threshold number ofbackspaces, a threshold typing speed, and/or any other threshold(s)based not on the particular user, but on some other basis, such aspurposefully-selected absolute numbers, averages among many users, etc.

In one embodiment, the mobile station's text-message-sending capability(and any other disabled capability such as receiving texts and/ordisplaying received texts) may remain disabled until the mobile stationdetermines that its current motion is less than or equal to a giventhreshold rate, perhaps equal to or substantially equal to zero. In someembodiments, the mobile station may require that this zero orslow-motion condition persist for a threshold time period before anytext-messaging-related capabilities are re-enabled. Thus, in times wherethe degree of motion is sufficient to conclude that the mobile stationis in a moving vehicle, the mobile station will monitor the user'stext-messaging behaviors for negative derivations from the norm, such asslower typing, more misspellings, more backspacing, etc. If the mobilestation detects sufficient motion and sufficient degradation in textingproficiency, the mobile station will disable text-sending capabilities,perhaps until the degree of motion no longer indicates vehicle motion.

In some embodiments, a detection of degradation in typing proficiencymay be or include detection that a user has typed one or more knownwords correctly but for the striking of one or more incorrect letters,where the incorrect letters are adjacent or proximate to the correctletters on the keyboard. In some embodiments, a detection of degradationin typing proficiency may be particular to a given text-entry mode (suchas T9, alpha, etc.); as such, recorded tendencies may also betext-entry-mode specific. In some embodiments, typing speed may bemeasured in terms of characters per second, words per second, charactersper minute, characters per second, total time to type an entire message,and/or any other suitable typing-speed metric.

In some embodiments in which a mobile station has disabled text sendingand received-text displaying, received texts are queued (i.e. stored)for later viewing. In other embodiments in which a mobile station hasdisabled text sending and received-text displaying, received texts couldbe spoken aloud to the user using a text-to-speech function. In anembodiment, disabling text sending may mean disabling only manual keyingof text messages; that is, the mobile station may still permit audioinput and accordingly make use of a speech-to-text function and one ormore speech commands for purposes of message composition and sending. Insome embodiments, another mobile station, an e-mail account, and/or oneor more other devices and/or accounts may be notified that the mobilestation's text-sending capability has been disabled due to a detectionof indications of texting while driving; this may be used, for instance,to alert a parent that a teenager was most likely texting while driving.

Note that it is explicitly contemplated that users have differentdefault behaviors and abilities. That is, some users may intentionallymisspell words and/or use alternate spellings (such as “18r” or “18er”instead of “later” (whereas “17er” may well be a mistake)). And someusers may unintentionally misspell words on a frequent basis. Thus, insome embodiments, a mobile station compares the user's current typingproficiency to their usual typing proficiency as learned by the mobilestation over time, rather than to an absolute standard of proficiency.In other embodiments, an absolute standard or anaverage-of-multiple/many-users standard is used. And it should be notedthat the above overview is intended to be illustrative and not limiting.Additional and/or different features may be present in some embodiments.In some embodiments, analysis of motion and/or typing proficiency may beperformed in whole or in part by one or more network entities separatefrom the mobile station. Furthermore, any description of a mobilestation, base station, or other network element communicating orproviding service according to any particular protocol is by way ofexample and not limitation; any suitable wireless protocol(s) may beused, such as CDMA, TDMA, AMPS, GSM, GPRS, UMTS, EDGE, EV-DO, WiMax(e.g. IEEE 802.16), LTE, microwave, satellite, MMDS, Wi-Fi (e.g. IEEE802.11), Bluetooth, infrared, and/or any other now known or laterdeveloped.

2. Exemplary Architecture

a. Exemplary Communication System

FIG. 1 is a simplified block diagram of a communication system, inaccordance with exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that thisand other arrangements described herein are set forth only as examples.Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other arrangements andelements (e.g., machines, interfaces, functions, orders, and groupingsof functions, etc.) can be used instead, and that some elements may beomitted altogether. Further, many of the elements described herein arefunctional entities that may be implemented as discrete or distributedcomponents or in conjunction with other components, and in any suitablecombination and location. Various functions described herein as beingperformed by one or more entities may be carried out by hardware,firmware, and/or software. Various functions may be carried out by aprocessor executing instructions stored in memory.

As shown in FIG. 1, a communication system 100 includes a mobile station(MS) 102, a base transceiver station (BTS) 104, a base stationcontroller (BSC) 106, a mobile switching center (MSC) 108, a publicswitched telephone network (PSTN) 110, a packet data serving node (PDSN)112, a packet-data network (PDN) 114, and a short message service center(SMSC) 116. And additional entities could be present as well. Forexample, there could be additional mobile stations in communication withBTS 104; furthermore, there could be additional entities incommunication with PSTN 110 and/or PDN 114. Also, there could be one ormore devices and/or networks making up at least part of one or more ofthe communication links. For example, there could be one or morerouters, switches, or other devices or networks on the link between PDSN112 and PDN 114.

Mobile station 102 may be any mobile device arranged to carry out themobile-station functions described herein. As such, mobile station 102may include a user interface, a wireless-communication interface, aprocessor, and data storage comprising instructions executable by theprocessor for carrying out those mobile-station functions. The userinterface may include buttons, a touchscreen, a microphone, and/or anyother elements for receiving inputs, as well as a speaker, one or moredisplays, and/or any other elements for communicating outputs.

The wireless-communication interface may comprise an antenna and achipset for communicating with one or more base stations over an airinterface. As an example, the chipset could be one that is suitable forCDMA communication. The chipset or wireless-communication interface ingeneral may also or instead be arranged to communicate according to oneor more other types (e.g. protocols) mentioned herein and/or any othersnow known or later developed. The processor and data storage may be anysuitable components known to those of skill in the art. As examples,mobile station 102 could be or include a cell phone or a PDA.

BTS 104 may be any network element arranged to carry out the BTSfunctions described herein. As such, BTS 104 may include a communicationinterface, a processor, and data storage comprising instructionsexecutable by the processor to carry out those BTS functions. Thecommunication interface may include one or more antennas, chipsets,and/or other components for providing one or more coverage areas such ascells and sectors, for communicating with mobile stations, such asmobile station 102, over an air interface. The communication interfacemay be arranged to communicate according to one or more protocolsmentioned herein and/or any others now known or later developed. Thecommunication interface may also include one or more wired and/orwireless interfaces for communicating with at least BSC 106.

BSC 106 may be any network element arranged to carry out the BSCfunctions described herein. As such, BSC 106 may include a communicationinterface, a processor, and data storage comprising instructionsexecutable by the processor to carry out those BSC functions. Thecommunication interface may include one or more wired and/or wirelessinterfaces for communicating with at least BTS 104, MSC 108, and PDSN112. In general, BSC 106 functions to control one or more BTSs such asBTS 104, and to provide one or more BTSs such as BTS 104 withconnections to devices such as MSC 108 and PDSN 112.

MSC 108 may be any networking element arranged to carry out the MSCfunctions described herein. As such, MSC 108 may include a communicationinterface, a processor, and data storage comprising instructionsexecutable by the processor to carry out those MSC functions. Thecommunication interface may include one or more wired and/or wirelessinterfaces for communicating with at least BSC 106 and PSTN 110. Ingeneral, MSC 108 functions as a switching element between PSTN 110 andone or more BSCs such as BSC 106, facilitating communication betweenmobile stations and PSTN 110, which may be the well-known publicswitched telephone network.

PDSN 112 may be any networking element arranged to carry out the PDSNfunctions described herein. As such, PDSN 112 may include acommunication interface, a processor, and data storage comprisinginstructions executable by the processor for carrying out those PDSNfunctions. The communication interface may include one or more wiredand/or wireless interfaces for communicating with at least BSC 106 andPDN 114. In general, PDSN 112 functions as a network access serverbetween PDN 114 and BSCs such as BSC 106, facilitating packet-datacommunication between mobile stations and PDN 114.

PDN 114 may include one or more wide area networks, one or more localarea networks, one or more public networks such as the Internet, one ormore private networks, one or more wired networks, one or more wirelessnetworks, and/or one or more networks of any other type. In one example,PDN 114 may include both the Internet and a private core packet-datanetwork operated by a wireless carrier that operates BTS 104, BSC 106,etc. Devices in communication with PDN 114 may exchange data using apacket-switched protocol such as the Internet Protocol (IP), and may beidentified by an address such as an IP address.

SMSC 116 may be any networking element arranged to carry out the SMSCfunctions described herein. As such, SMSC 116 may include acommunication interface, a processor, and data storage comprisinginstructions executable by the processor for carrying out those SMSCfunctions. The communication interface may include one or more wiredand/or wireless interfaces for communicating with at least PDN 114. Ingeneral, SMSC 116 functions to enable SMS messaging between and amongvarious entities by providing store-and-forward services with respect toSMS messages, along with one or more other suitable services forenabling the aforementioned SMS communication. Note that an entity otherthan an SMSC may be used instead or as well to enable text-messagingcommunication regardless of protocol.

3. Exemplary Operation

a. A First Exemplary Method

FIG. 2 depicts a flowchart of an exemplary method, in accordance with anexemplary embodiment. Note that method 200 is carried out by a mobilestation, and is described with respect to mobile station 102 inparticular. In some embodiments, method 200 may be carried out by amobile station in cooperation with one or more other entities describedherein and/or one or more other suitable entities of any type.

As shown in FIG. 2, method 200 begins at step 202, when mobile station102 makes a first determination that it is moving at greater than athreshold rate. In one embodiment, step 202 may involve mobile station102 detecting more than a threshold number of handoffs in a particularamount of time. In another embodiment, step 202 may involve mobilestation 102 determining its translational rate of motion (perhaps usinga positioning technology such as GPS), and further determining that itstranslational rate of motion exceeds the threshold rate. In yet anotherembodiment, step 202 may involve mobile station 102 using a motionsensor (such as an internal accelerometer, for example).

At step 204, mobile station 102 makes a second determination that, whileit is moving at greater than the threshold rate (which was determined instep 202), an outgoing text message reflects more than a thresholddegradation in typing proficiency. Note that the outgoing text messagereferred to by step 204 may be a text message that is currently beingcomposed for the purpose of thereafter sending it; note, however, thatthe outgoing text message may just as well be one for which compositionwas completed and a Send command had been invoked. In other embodiments,the outgoing text message could be one that had already been sent. Andother possibilities exist as well without departing from the presentmethods and systems.

In some embodiments, step 204 may involve mobile station 102 maintainingdata reflecting a first level of typing proficiency, determining acurrent level of typing proficiency reflected by the outgoing textmessage; and determining that the current level is lower than the firstlevel by more than a proficiency threshold. If one typing-proficiencymetric is used, than the first level, current level, and proficiencythreshold may all be in terms of that metric. If more than one metric isused, however, than a respective first level, current level, andthreshold may be used for each such metric. And the determination as towhether the message meets or fails a test may be in terms of failing allthe metrics, a certain number of the metrics, a certain percentage ofthe metrics, and/or any other suitable scheme.

With respect to particular metrics, one or more of the following may beused: number of misspellings, frequency of misspellings, number of usesof a backspace function, frequency of using the backspace function,number of corrections made, frequency of correcting entered text, typingspeed, and input of at least one incorrect letter positioned adjacent acorrect letter on a user interface. And one or more other metrics couldbe used instead or in addition without departing from the presentmethods and systems.

In some embodiments, a first level, current level, and proficiencythreshold may be specific to a given mode of text entry. In someembodiments, the first level (i.e. the default level of typingproficiency for comparison with a current level) corresponds tohistorical data reflecting an actual typing proficiency of a user ofmobile station 102. In those embodiments, mobile station 102 wouldrecord and maintain this historical data as the user engages intext-messaging activities over some period of time. In otherembodiments, the first level corresponds to data reflecting averagetyping proficiency of multiple users. This data could be provisionedinto and/or downloaded by mobile station 102.

At step 206, in response to making the first and second determinations(in steps 202 and 204, respectively), mobile station 102 disables atext-message-sending capability. In some embodiments, step 206 mayinvolve mobile station 102 disabling at least one of (a) its ability toreceive text-message input from a user and (b) its ability to transmitentered text messages. In some embodiments, step 206 may involve mobilestation 102 disabling the text-message-sending capability for apredetermined amount of time. In other embodiments, step 206 may involvemobile station 102 disabling the text-message-sending capability untilmobile station 102 detects that it is no longer moving at greater thanthe threshold rate. In still other embodiments, step 206 may involvemobile station 102 disabling the text-message-sending capability untilmobile station 102 detects that it has not been moving at greater thanthe threshold rate for at least a predetermined amount of time.

In some embodiments, mobile station 102 may, further in response tomaking the first and second determinations, disable atext-message-receiving capability. In some embodiments, mobile station102 may, further in response to making the first and seconddeterminations, disable visible presentation of received text messages.In these embodiments, mobile station 102 may also enables audiblepresentation of received text messages; mobile station 102 may also orinstead store any received text messages for later viewing. In someembodiments, mobile station 102 disabling the text-message-sendingcapability may involve mobile station 102 (a) disabling manual keying oftext messages and (b) enabling audio input of text messages.

In some embodiments, mobile station 102 may, further in response tomaking the first and second determinations, cause an alert to be sent toat least one of a second mobile station, a phone number, and an e-mailaddress. In some of these embodiments, mobile station 102 may send thealert itself. In other of these embodiments, mobile station 102 may senda request to one or more network entities, where the request causes oneor more such alerts to be sent. And still other possibilities exist aswell, without departing from the present methods and systems.

b. A Second Exemplary Method

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a second exemplary method, in accordance withan exemplary embodiment. In particular, FIG. 3 depicts a method 300,which may be carried out by a mobile station such as mobile station 102.In other embodiments, the method may be carried out by another networkentity mentioned herein, some other network entity, or any combinationthereof. Method 300 is similar to method 200, and thus is not describedin as great of detail. And it is explicitly contemplated that anypossibilities and permutations discussed herein with respect to anyembodiment may be just as well applied to method 300.

As shown in FIG. 3, method 300 begins at step 302, when a current rateof movement of mobile station 102 is determined. Step 302 may be carriedout using any of the rate-determining strategies described herein and/orany other suitable strategy. At step 304, it is determined that thecurrent rate of movement of mobile station 102 exceeds a threshold rateof movement. This step may be carried out by simple numericalcomparison.

At step 306, in response to the determination made in step 304, acurrent level of typing proficiency with respect to at least oneoutgoing text message is evaluated. Step 306 may be carried out usingany of the typing-proficiency-evaluating metrics described herein and/orany other suitable metrics. At step 308, as a result of conducting theaforementioned evaluating in step 306, it is determined that the currentlevel of typing proficiency is substandard. This determination mayresult from comparing one metric to one threshold, several metrics toseveral respective thresholds, and/or by way of any other suitablestrategy. The one or more thresholds could be based on historical typingproficiency of the user of mobile station 102, some absolute standard,an average proficiency across multiple mobile stations, and/or any otherstandard.

At step 310, in response to the determination made in step 308, at leastone of (a) an ability of mobile station 102 to accept manual entry ofoutgoing text messages and (b) an ability of mobile station 102 totransmit outgoing text messages is disabled.

4. Conclusion

Various exemplary embodiments have been described above. Those skilledin the art will understand, however, that changes and modifications maybe made to those examples without departing from the scope of theclaims.

We claim:
 1. A method comprising: a mobile station making a first determination that the mobile station is moving at greater than a threshold rate; the mobile station making a second determination that, while the mobile station is moving at greater than the threshold rate, outgoing text messaging from the mobile station reflects more than a threshold degradation in typing proficiency; and in response to making the first and second determinations, the mobile station performing at least one action selected from the group consisting of (i) disabling visible presentation of received text messages and (ii) disabling manual keying of text messages.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station comprises at least one of a cell phone and a personal digital assistant (PDA).
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the outgoing text messaging comprises outgoing Short Message Service (SMS) messaging, and wherein the received text messages are SMS messages.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station making the first determination comprises the mobile station detecting more than a threshold number of handoffs in a particular amount of time.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station making the first determination comprises (i) the mobile station determining translational rate of motion of the mobile station, and (ii) the mobile station determining that its translational rate of motion exceeds the threshold rate.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station making the first determination comprises the mobile station using a positioning technology.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the positioning technology comprises Global Positioning System (GPS) technology.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station making the first determination comprises the mobile station using a motion sensor.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile station making the second determination comprises: the mobile station maintaining data reflecting a first level of typing proficiency; the mobile station determining a current level of typing proficiency reflected by the outgoing text messaging; and the mobile station determining that the current level is lower than the first level by more than a proficiency threshold.
 10. The method of claim 9, carried out with respect to at least one typing-proficiency metric selected from the group of metrics consisting of number of misspellings, frequency of misspellings, number of uses of a backspace function, frequency of using the backspace function, number of corrections made, frequency of correcting entered text, typing speed, and input of at least one incorrect letter positioned adjacent a correct letter on a user interface.
 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first level corresponds to historical data reflecting an actual typing proficiency of a user of the mobile station.
 12. The method of claim 9, wherein the first level corresponds to data reflecting average typing proficiency of multiple users.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action comprises disabling visible presentation of received text messages.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, in response to making the first and second determinations, the mobile station enabling audible presentation of received text messages.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one action comprises disabling manual keying of text messages.
 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising, in response to making the first and second determinations, the mobile station enabling audible input of text messages.
 17. A mobile station comprising: a wireless-communication interface; a processor; and data storage having stored therein instructions executable by the processor for carrying out functions including: making a first determination that the mobile station is moving at greater than a threshold rate; making a second determination that, while the mobile station is moving at greater than the threshold rate, outgoing text messaging from the mobile station reflects more than a threshold degradation in typing proficiency; and in response to making the first and second determinations, causing the mobile station to perform at least one action selected from the group consisting of (i) disabling visible presentation of received text messages and (ii) disabling manual keying of text messages.
 18. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the at least one action comprises disabling visible presentation of received text messages, and wherein the functions further comprise, in response to making the first and second determinations, causing the mobile station to enable audible presentation of received text messages.
 19. The mobile station of claim 17, wherein the at least one action comprises disabling manual keying of text messages, and wherein the functions further comprise, in response to making the first and second determinations, causing the mobile station to enable audible input of text messages.
 20. A method comprising: determining a current rate of movement of a mobile station; determining that the current rate of movement of the mobile station exceeds a threshold rate of movement; in response to determining that the current rate of movement of the mobile station exceeds the threshold rate of movement, evaluating a current level of typing proficiency with respect to at least one outgoing text message; as a result of evaluating the current level of typing proficiency with respect to the at least one outgoing text message, determining that the current level of typing proficiency is substandard; and in response to determining that the current level of typing proficiency is substandard, disabling an ability of the mobile station to accept manually keying entry of outgoing text messages. 